Okay so my PS says he can do my tummy tuck for $5000 total. That includes all expenses, a pain pump and moving my port so that he can tighten my upper abs.

When we were discussing results he said that some people have expectations that are really high and then they are dissappointed if they are not met. So he told me to stand up straight and relax and let my belly hang out. Then he told me to suck it in really tight. He said that would be the minimum result I would see. Then he said that the result would be even better with the extra skin taken off. When I sucked in he said imagine, that is what your stomach will look like after I tighten your muscles and you won't have to do any work at all.

Does he mean if I work out like mad that my abs could get that flat/tight without surgery and he can make them that flat without exercise? What do you think? My biggest concern is the bulge that hangs over my jeans and the fact that I look pregnant depending on what I wear.

Here's my pics:

Front view, not sucking in

side view not sucking in

side view, sucking in- the effect I'm asking about. Could I get this look without a tuck?

Thanks guys:)

if u can afford it then whats the issue? Go for it! I'm just starting on my journey, but your belly doesnt look bad at all. Working out can do a lot, but i've found that some people can do all the ab work in the world and still doesnt help. You seem to have some hanging skin. Either way I would still work out.

Hi:

I would recommend waiting until your weight is stable for 6 months before doing anything. During that time do some weight training and some ab work and you'll be able to see if you can make any progress. Looks to me like you're young and your skin isn't already covered with stretch marks, so I'm thinking that it's possible that you can get the look that you want without a tummy tuck.

A tummy tuck is major surgery with alot of pain if you have the abdominal muscles tightened too. Try and see if you can avoid it.

Take care and best wishes!

Sue

Sue, You just can't see them in the pic but my belly is nothing but wide stretch marks. They go up above my belly button so he won't be able to remove them all.

I can afford it it's just, well, $5K is nothing to sneeze at. I'm just wondering if I will be $5K happy with the results. Do you know what I mean? It's like paying $150 to get your hair done and when you leave the salon it doesn't look any different than your old $50 hair do.

Another thing is he said he no longer use drain tubes for tummy tucks. He said the way most surgeons do them now, drains are not needed.

Is that right? Most of the pics I see the people still have drain tubes.

Sue, You just can't see them in the pic but my belly is nothing but wide stretch marks. They go up above my belly button so he won't be able to remove them all.

I can afford it it's just, well, $5K is nothing to sneeze at. I'm just wondering if I will be $5K happy with the results. Do you know what I mean? It's like paying $150 to get your hair done and when you leave the salon it doesn't look any different than your old $50 hair do.

Another thing is he said he no longer use drain tubes for tummy tucks. He said the way most surgeons do them now, drains are not needed.

Is that right? Most of the pics I see the people still have drain tubes.

Hi:

I live in MA, where medical costs are very high. My panniculectomy was approved and paid for by my insurance, but my out of pocket was more than $7k. I believe that my total surgery cost was $21k with overnight stay and the post op appointments included.

It was so worth it not to have my belly hit my legs when I sat on the toilet, etc. My weight loss was 150 pounds so I really did a bad job on myself and because I was 50 years old my skin wasn't very resilient.

I had mine in May 2009 and I had drains. My surgeon did these wonderful stitches that I couldn't see at all. I'm not sure what they're called, but it wasn't glue. She did almost all of the stitching under the skin. My scars are very thin light pink lines.

Is he going to reposition your belly button? I highly recommend that. Also, ask if you can have an extra compression garment because you'll need to wash them and you'll wear them for quite a while. Sounds crazy, but after the initial healing you'll feel more comfortable with the compression garment than off. Somehow it gives comfort being there - probably because it holds everything in place and it can't jiggle at all.

Let me know if you have any other questions. If you check out my profile you can see my pics from just after surgery, before tummy tuck, and after tummy tuck.

Take care.

Sue

Wow! That is crazy high!

The only other big obstacle is he likes to use this one type of suture. He says it leaves less scarring, but I had those same sutures when my gallbladder was removed and they came out within 3 days. I was left with open wounds and they took 2 months to fully close. So now we are waiting on my operative notes. He wants to see if they came out because my body reacted to them or if they came out because of the way they were tied off. He told me either way it wouldnt be a huge deal. We just have to decide what to sew me back up with.

I will definitely check out your pics!

Thanks

You can't get those results with "ab exercises." You've had a child(ren?) and more than likely your muscles are separated, so no, no exercise is going to give you those results. The separation in muscle isn't what is causing your muffin top, it's the excess skin and fat. I say go for the TT. I'm having a LBL in October and can't wait.

I say go for a TT, but remember it can be a long recovery, painful and I know that many plastic srugeons do computer enhanced photos to show you how you would possibly look (mine did for my neck lift). I would check his credentials, reviews from former patients, etc...but with your stomach area, a TT is the best thing, in my non-expert opinion. No amount of working out will completely firm and tone that. I have the same thing

Thanks guys! After thinking it over and discussing with my dh I'm going to try and schedule it for December 14. The PS I'm using has done tummy tucks on 4 other people I know and they are all super happy with him and his results. I can't wait! I'm so excited now!

I'm going for my tummy tuck next month. We have about the same shape and issues. The surgeon doing my tummy tuck did my lap band so I trust him completely. I asked him, "How much of this is fat I can still lose on my own and how much is here for good. I need honest answers because I'll work on it more on my own if I'll get better results that way. Then we can do the surgery."

He pushed and pulled my skin and showed me what he'd do and where. He assured me that what was left was going nowhere on it's own. I even asked him if I should be doing lots of ab work before hand to get better results. He said no, that the internal muscle structure had little to do with that lose flabby part hanging down.

I know of people who have had one or even two tummy tucks. I'd say go for it if you are ready to make a chance. Very few of us are going to look like Playboy Bunnies afterwards but if we're happier then it was worth it.

Personally, I've never had a flat stomach so 'flatter' is great in my book.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Does INsurance cover tummy tucks? I had lap band surgery in April and have lost close to 60lbs so far.... and I cant wait to loose more and get myself a tummy tuck and a breast left, cause good lord these boobies are hanging lol

Does INsurance cover tummy tucks? I had lap band surgery in April and have lost close to 60lbs so far.... and I cant wait to loose more and get myself a tummy tuck and a breast left, cause good lord these boobies are hanging lol

Rarely, but sometimes portions of it (ie. the pannulectomy part, not the muscle repair portion). Call your insurance and ask about reconstructive surgery.

Okay, it's a done deal. I put my deposit down and I'm scheduled for December 14th:) what an awesome Christmas present!

Okay, it's a done deal. I put my deposit down and I'm scheduled for December 14th:) what an awesome Christmas present!

Woo hoooooooo!! Hard to believe come December I'll be 2 months post-op.